Does varying the ingestion period of sodium citrate influence blood alkalosis and gastrointestinal symptoms?

Acute effects of sodium citrate supplementation on competitive performance and lactate level of elite fitness challenge athletes: A crossover, placebo-controlled, double-blind study

Purpose

The performance of sodium citrate has been investigated in high-intensity exercises, but fewer studies have addressed the role of citrate in weight-bearing exercises.

Methods

Twenty fitness challenge athletes, aged 24-32 years, volunteered to participate in this crossover, placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Initially, ten athletes were given a placebo and asked to complete a fitness challenge (i.e., chin-ups, squat jumps, dips, walking lunges, sit-ups, and burpees-devil press). Another ten athletes were supplemented with sodium citrate 0.5 g/kg body mass supplements 3 h prior to performing the fitness challenges. The same procedures were completed two days later with the supplement and placebo dextrose groups switched in a cross-over design. Athletes and assessors were blinded for the experimental condition (placebo vs. verum). Lactate levels were measured 5 min after exercise. The athletes' performance on each item of the fitness challenge as well as their lactate levels, were compared. Differences between the means of the measured variables were contrasted using a dependent t-test.

Results

Supplementing sodium citrate substantially improved athletes' performance in all six fitness challenge items (p < 0.05, 0.69

Conclusion

Acute sodium citrate supplementation may help fitness challengers postpone muscular fatigue and increase performance, potentially via the prevention of lactate accumulation.

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Key Words

• Anaerobic performance
• Dietary supplement
• Lactatemia
• Sodium citrate

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Affiliation(s)

Magshoud Nabilpour Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
Amira Zouita Higher Institute of Sports Sciences and Physical Education ksar said, University of la Manouba, Research Laboratory (UR23JS01) “Sport Performance, Health & Society”, Tunisia
Jerry Mayhew Department of Health and Exercise Sciences, Kirksville, MO, United States
Gholam Rasul Mohammad Rahimi Department of Sport Sciences, Vahdat Institute of Higher Education, Torbat-e-Jam, Iran
Yaser Alikhajeh Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
Morteza Taheri Department of Sport Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences in Sport, Faculty of Sport Science and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Khadijeh Irandoust Department of Sport Sciences, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences in Sport, Faculty of Sport Science and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Leila Youzbashi Department of Sport Science, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
Urs Granacher Department of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Hassane Zouhal Movement Sport, Health and Sciences Laboratory (M2S) UFR-STAPS, University of Rennes 2-ENS Cachan, Charles Tillon, France Institut International des Sciences Du Sport (2IS), Irodouer, France

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Effect of Pre-exercise Sodium Citrate Ingestion on Repeated Sprint Performance in Soccer Players

ABSTRACT

Kuru, D, Aktitiz, S, Atakan, MM, Köse, MG, Turnagöl, HH, and Koşar, ŞN. Effect of pre-exercise sodium citrate ingestion on repeated sprint performance in soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): 556-562, 2024-This study aimed to test the hypothesis that sodium citrate (CIT) administered 180 minutes before exercise improves repeated sprint performance in athletes within a field-based setting. Twenty male soccer players (mean ± SD : age = 20.9 ± 2.3 years; body mass [BM] = 73.8 ± 5.9 kg) performed a running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST) with 0.5 g·kg -1 BM of CIT or with placebo (PLC; NaCl) ingestion 180 minutes before exercise in a randomized, crossover, and double-blind design, with at least 6 days between the trials. Blood samples were collected before exercise and at first, third, fifth, and seventh minutes after exercise to analyze blood pH, bicarbonate, and lactate levels. Gastrointestinal symptoms were also monitored at 30-minute intervals for 180 minutes after CIT and PLC ingestion. Pre-exercise blood pH (CIT = 7.49 ± 0.03 vs. PLC = 7.41 ± 0.02) and bicarbonate (CIT = 30.57 ± 1.33 vs. PLC = 25.25 ± 1.52) increased with CIT compared with PLC ( p < 0.001). Blood pH, bicarbonate, and lactate at the first, third, fifth, and seventh minutes after RAST with CIT were higher than PLC ( p < 0.05), except for lactate at first minute ( p > 0.05). Compared with PLC, CIT ingestion significantly improved minimum power output ( p = 0.024) and percentage decrement score ( p = 0.023). Gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly higher after CIT ingestion vs. PLC at 30th ( p = 0.003) and 60th minutes ( p = 0.010). However, there were no significant differences at 90th, 120th, 150th, or 180th minutes ( p > 0.05). The ingestion of 0.5 g·kg -1 BM of CIT 180 minutes before exercise is an effective ergogenic aid for improving repeated sprint ability as evidenced by improvements in minimum power output and percentage decrement score.

The blood acid base and gastrointestinal response to three different forms of sodium citrate encapsulation

Enterically coated (ENT) or delayed-release (DEL) capsules may lessen gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) following acute sodium citrate (SC) ingestion, although the effects on blood acid-base balance are undetermined. Fourteen active males ingested 0.4 g.kg-1 body mass (BM) SC, within gelatine (GEL), DEL and ENT capsules or 0.07 g.kg-1 BM sodium chloride control (CON). Blood acid-base balance and GIS were measured for 4 h. Ingestion form had no significant effect on total GIS experienced (GEL: 2 ± 7; DEL: 1 ± 8; ENT: 1 ± 4 AU). Most (7/14) participants experienced zero symptoms throughout. Peak GIS typically emerged ≤100 min post-ingestion, with a similar time to reach peak GIS between ingestion form (GEL: 36 ± 70; DEL: 13 ± 28; ENT: 15 ± 33 AU). Blood [HCO3-] was significantly higher with ENT versus GEL (ENT: 29.0 ± 0.8; GEL: 28.5 ± 1.1 mmol.L-1, P = 0.037). Acute ingestion of a reduced SC dose elicited minimal GIS, producing significant changes in blood [HCO3-] from rest, irrespective of ingestion form (GEL: 6.0 ± 0.9; DEL: 5.1 ± 1.0; ENT: 6.2 ± 0.8 mmol.L-1). The necessity of individualized ingestion strategies is also challenged, with sustained increases in blood [HCO3-] of ≥4 mmol.L-1 for up to 153 min highlighted. If commencing exercise at peak alkalosis augments subsequent performance above starting at a standardized time point where HCO3- is still elevated remains unclear.

A Comparison of Sodium Citrate and Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion: Blood Alkalosis and Gastrointestinal Symptoms

This study compared the recommended dose of sodium citrate (SC, 500 mg/kg body mass) and sodium bicarbonate (SB, 300 mg/kg body mass) for blood alkalosis (blood [HCO3-]) and gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS; number and severity). Sixteen healthy individuals ingested the supplements in a randomized, crossover design. Gelatin capsules were ingested over 15 min alongside a carbohydrate-rich meal, after which participants remained seated for forearm venous blood sample collection and completion of GIS questionnaires every 30 min for 300 min. Time-course and session value (i.e., peak and time to peak) comparisons of SC and SB supplementation were performed using linear mixed models. Peak blood [HCO3-] was similar for SC (mean 34.2, 95% confidence intervals [33.4, 35.0] mmol/L) and SB (mean 33.6, 95% confidence intervals [32.8, 34.5] mmol/L, p = .308), as was delta blood [HCO3-] (SC = 7.9 mmol/L; SB = 7.3 mmol/L, p = .478). Blood [HCO3-] was ≥6 mmol/L above baseline from 180 to 240 min postingestion for SC, significantly later than for SB (120-180 min; p < .001). GIS were mostly minor, and peaked 80-90 min postingestion for SC, and 35-50 min postingestion for SB. There were no significant differences for the number or severity of GIS reported (p > .05 for all parameters). In summary, the recommended doses of SC and SB induce similar blood alkalosis and GIS, but with a different time course.

The Hyperhydration Potential of Sodium Bicarbonate and Sodium Citrate

Buffering agents have not been comprehensively profiled in terms of their capacity to influence water retention prior to exercise. The purpose of this investigation was to profile the fluid retention characteristics of sodium bicarbonate (BIC) and sodium citrate (CIT) to determine the efficacy of these buffering mediums as hyperhydrating agents. Nineteen volunteers (13 males and six females; age = 28.3 ± 4.9 years) completed three trials (randomized and cross-over design). For each trial, a baseline measurement of body mass, capillary blood, and urine was collected prior to ingestion of their respective condition (control condition [CON] = 25 ml/kg artificially sweetened water; BIC condition = CON + 7.5 g/L of sodium in the form of BIC; CIT condition = CON + 7.5 g/L of sodium in the form of CIT). The fluid loads were consumed in four equal aliquots (0, 20, 40 and 60 min; fluid intake was 1.972 ± 361 ml [CON]; 1.977 ± 360 ml [BIC]; 1.953 ± 352 ml [CIT]). Samples were recorded at 20 (body mass and urine) and 60 min (blood) intervals for 180 min. Blood buffering capacity (HCO3-) was elevated (p < .001) in both BIC (32.1 ± 2.2 mmol/L) and CIT (28.9 ± 3.8 mmol/L) at 180 min compared with CON (25.1 ± 1.8 mmol/L). Plasma volume expansion was greater (p < .001) in both BIC (8.1 ± 1.3%) and CIT (5.9 ± 1.8%) compared with CON (-1.1 ± 1.4%); whereas, total urine production was lower in BIC and CIT at 180 min (BIC vs. CON, mean difference of 370 ± 85 ml; p < .001; CIT vs. CON, mean difference of 239 ± 102 ml; p = .05). There were no increases observed in body mass (p = .9). Under resting conditions, these data suggest BIC and CIT induce a greater plasma hypervolemic response as compared with water alone.